Multiple tire table with extensible top



May 29, 1956 M. EHRLICH MULTIPLE TIER TABLE WITH EXTENSIBLE TOP Filed May 20, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet l army/ J May 29, 1956 M. EHRLICH MULTIPLE TIER TABLE WITH EXTENSIBLE TOP 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 20, 1953 May 29, 1956 M. EHRLECH MULTIPLE TIER TABLE WITH EXTENSIBLE TOP 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig. 5

q n w P 1 1 9r 3 5 7 6 g a H w a m w 9 l w a w 0 2 3 v. 44 m 4 d e l F United States Patent MULTIPLE TIER TABLE WITH EXTENSIBLE TOP Mauritius Ehrlich, Zurich, Switzerland Application May 20, 1953, Serial No. 356,171

Claims priority, application Switzerland May 23, 1952 4 Claims. (Cl. 311-30) This invention relates to a multiple tier table wherein at least one of the upper tiers is extensible.

In modern catering establishments, the guests, being for the most part strangers to one another, prefer small tables accommodating only two persons. Serving a meal to two persons simultaneously at such a table is, however, attended with great difficulty owing to the lack of space. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a table having the same dimensions but overcoming the aforesaid space difl'iculties. The invention 1esides in the fact that the top of the table is provided within its surface area with a gap in which at least two boards or slabs, arranged in tiers one above the other, connected together, and adapted completely to fill the gap in the table top, can be so placed that either the uppermost or the lowermost of the said boards lies flush 2,747,955 Patented May 29, 1956 2 dowels, after slight rotation of the filler board 8, engage the rests 6 of the channels 3 and fix the board 8 in the required position.

The gap 2 and the boards 8 and may be polyangular, oval or circular. The upper board 10 may be of one piece, or it may consist of a plurality of comwith the upper surface of the table top, further that the upper of the said two boards consists of a plurality of constituent members arranged to be drawn apart, and further that the upper board is provided with means adapted to keep food warm. I

In the accompanying drawing a typical embodiment of the invention is illustrated. In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view through a table board or top with a gap, and two raisable and lowerable boards disposed the one above the other and of such size as to fill the gap in the table top;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the parts which guide the raisable and lowerable boards vertically;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the upper, extensible board in its non-extended position;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the upper, extensible board in its extended position;

Fig. 5 is a variant embodiment of the raisable and lowerable board;

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view of a portion of the tubular guides of the embodiment according to Figure 5; and

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the extended upper board of the embodiment according to Figure 5 The table top or slat 1 (Fig. 1) of a table of any preferred kind is provided with a gap or opening 2. Below the table top 1 are, for example, four vertical guides 3 consisting of channel bars secured to the table top by means of angles 4. The channel bars are interconnected at their lower ends by a connecting member 5. At their upper ends, the channel bars are provided laterally with supporting rests 6. A support or pillar 9 is secured to the filler board, slab or tier 8, which latter seats in and fills the gap 2 of the table top 1. Secured either directly or indirectly upon said pillar 9 is a filler board 10 whose external dimensions likewise coincide with the dimensions of the gap 2 in the table top 1. The lower filler board 8 is provided on its underside with four dowels 7 by means of which said board 8 is guided in the channel bars 3. In the uppermost position of the board 8, the upper face thereof must lie flush with the upper surface of the table top 1. For this purpose, the

u by means of a welded-on flange or collar 23.

ponent members so interconnected as to be able to be drawn apart. In the embodiment of Fig. 1, the board 10 consists of two halves 10a and 10b each of which is indirectly connected to the pillar 9. Inserted in the upper end of the pillar 9 is a bolt 12 on which, as shown in Fig. 4, two rings 13 are mounted on above the other, the rods 14 being radially welded to the upper ring and the rods 15 radially welded to the lower ring. The rods 15 are each interrupted by a ring 16 which serves as a candle bracket. The ends of the rods 14 and 15 are articulated by means of pins 17a to one end of links 14a and 15a, the other end of said links being pivotally secured to flanges 17, respectively, said flanges being screwed to the undersides of the halves 10a and 10b of the filler board 10. The rods 14 and 15 and the links 14:: and 15a together form a lazy-tongs assembly and enable the two halves 10a and 10b of the board 10 to be drawn apart. When the two halves of the board are drawn apart, the rings 16 are revealed and serve to accommodate candle sockets of commercially obtainable types, so that a dish or tray supported by the two halves 10a and lllb of the board 10 and bridging the gap between them can be warmed from below. The two halves of the board are preferably held in their joined position by means of dowels 18 and sockets 19 arranged transversely of the line of division of said halves. Instead of an extensible upper filler board it is also possible to use a non-extensible slab or plate made of perforated sheet metal, under which candle sockets are arranged, so that the plate can be used as a dishwarmer.

Figures 5 to 7 show a modified embodiment including two raisable and lowerable boards and their guide mechanism.

In the leg 21 of a table a tube 22 is secured vertically Slidably mounted on the tube 22 is a tube 24 having a screw thread 25. Threaded on the screw thread 25 are adjusting rings 26 and 27 which clamp between them a collar or ring 28 provided with a stud screw 29 and axially adjustable by means of the two adjusting rings 26 and 27. The stud of this screw protrudes through the tube 24 into the groove 30 of the tube 22. The groove 30 of the tube 22 merges with rest slots 30a disposed transversely of the longitudinal axis of the tube. The tube 24 has a collar 32 against which the lower board 33 is clamped by means of a threaded ring 34. Two rings 36 and 37, to which rods-38 and 39 are welded, are mounted on the upper end 24a of the tube 24 and bear rotatably upon the collar 24b. At the ends of the rods 38 and 39, links 42, Whose ends are mounted on the pivots 43 secured in the semicircular boards 44, are secured by means of pivots 40. The said semicircular boards are also provided each with a pin 45 which comes into position between the two links 42 of each pair when the two halves of the board are in their ex tended position, thereby securing the said halves of the board against rotation. Candle sockets 46 are disposed on the rods 39 and a perforated metal sheet 47, rotatable upon the tube 24a, is secured above the said candle sockets by means of the nut 48. The metal sheet 47 serves to distribute the heat and to prevent sooting of the food dishes.

A star-shaped cruet member 59 with clips to accommodate containers for condiments and toothpicks is rotatably mounted between the collars 32 and 24b on the tube portion 24a. It is also possible to attach ashtrays 52 to the underside of the boards or slabs 44 in such a way that said ashtrays can be swivelled clear of the slabs.

When the two slabs are raised or lowered into the raised or lowered positions, the stud 29, after a slight turning movement has been given to the boards, engages the stops or rest slots 30a so that the boards 33 and 44 cannot be inadvertently moved into another po sition. A spring 55 surrounds tube 22 between collar 23 and ring 27 and is of such strength that it is able to force the two boards or slabs approximately into their upper positions. By means of the adjusting rings 26 and 27, the boards 33 and 44 can be adjusted to be exactly flush with the top of the table.

The following is the manner in which the device is used.

During ordinary service, with no meal, the upper filler slab 18 is so sunk in the gap 2 of the table top E that the surface of the table is completely level. The lower filler slab 8 is then located in the guides 3 below the table top 1 and causes no inconvenience whatever. When a meal is to be served, the filler board is, by means of a hook, normally adapted to engage an eye in the lower filler board, or by means of a suction disk or other suitable instrument, lifted into its uppermost position. The stops 6 are preferably slightly deepened so that the filler board 10 can only be moved back into the lower ing position by being lifted a fraction of an inch and then turned in the contrary direction, the purpose of this arrangement being to prevent the slab from being inadvertently lowered by careless turning of the slab. The table top 1 is levelled by the filler slab 8 when the latter is lifted out of its recess. The pillar 9 detracts only to a negligible extent from the even expanse of the table top. it is possible to place a plurality of dishes and trays on the table top 1, some of them being partly underneath the upper slab. If the latter is made in one piece, of perforated metal, and equipped With candle holders, it can be used for keeping warm the food placed upon it. Since the upper slab, as shown, may also comprise a plurality of slab members designed to be drawn apart, the gap thereby formed being bridged either by a lazy-tongs device or by a bridging member, a large area for the accommodation of dishes, etc., is provided. It the gap is left open, it can be bridged over by the trays or dishes placed upon it, which trays or dishes can be kept warm by the candles.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a table having an opening in its top, verticallyspaced upper and lower slabs arranged for selective positioning within said opening to form a continuation of said top, said upper slab comprising two complementary portions, and a substantially vertical post connecting said slabs; extending means mounted about said post intermediate said slabs and connected with said upper slab portions, respectively, and socket means carried by said extending means, whereby upon arrangement or" said lower slab within said opening said upper slab portions may be extended to provide access to said socket means for providing a heating source therein to heat a dish disposed on said upper slab.

2. in a table according to claim 1, said upper slab portions comprising perforated metal sheets, whereby said heating may be effected upon returning said extended complementary portions to closed position.

3. in a table according to claim 1, said extending means including a pair of rods pivotally mounted about said post, and two pairs of links, each of said links being pivotally secured at one end to a respective upper slab portion and being pivotally secured at its other end to one of said rods, said socket means including candle holders carried by said rods adjacent said post, whereby candles when placed in said holders and lit will heat a dish disposed on said upper slab.

4. In a table according to claim 3, a pair of pins secured to said upper slab portions, respectively, and positioned at the bottom of said portions between said links of each of said pairs, respectively, whereby rotation of said portions in extended position is prevented by said pins cooperating with said links.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNlTED STATES PATENTS 48,888 Atwater July 25, 1865 145,049 Chubbuck Dec. 2, 1873 575,711 Haley Jan. 26, 1897 1,049,668 Carlson Jan. 7, 1913 1,158,475 Fox Nov. 2, 1915 1,717,235 Marmonier June 11, 1929 2,079,225 Sabaneefi May 4, 1937 2,191,100 Starling Feb. 20, 1940 2,566,800 Hutcherson Sept. 4, 1951 

